Kovács I. (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 78. (Budapest 1986)

Pap, I.: Oral pathology and social stratification in the Hungarian Middle Ages

the dental conditions of groups excavated at different locations. According to him (1970) "certain protective factors may also have played a part. For instance, drinking-water containing fluoride may have had a favourable effect. Various effects may also have asserted themselves differently, especially in populations that had recently settled in a territory". FRAYER (1984) was the first to establish a correlation between oral pathologies and the population's social standing in Hungary in the Middle Ages. He found the reasons for the differences between the two cemeteries excavated in Zalavár (Kápolna — Chapel, Vár — Castle) in differendt socialeconomic circumstances. In the cemetery of Kápolna — markedly dominated by lower class individuals — the percentage of caries, pre-mortem lost teeth and abscessus was much higher than in the cemetery of Vár — dominated by the upper class. When comparing the results of the examinations carried out to date — of course with all the precautions made necessary by the fact mentioned above — differences undoubtedly do exist, on one hand between the average of the Arpadian Age and the individual populations, and on the other hand between anyone population and the others (Tables 2-4). Discussion As it is known, nutrition influences the condition of teeth in two ways. It has a preresorptive effect which occurs locally in the mouth with saburra coming into being when malign decomposition products occur as a result of the carbohydrate consumption (TÓTH 1981). At the same time the pH of the mouth cavity is a decisive factor. Protein changes the pH of the mouth toward a more alkaline character, this way it decreases the development of caries which need a basically acidic environment (HILLSON 1979 cit. FRAYER 1984). Nutrition has also a postresorptive effect: full value proteins, vitamins (A, C, D) and minerals (Ca, P, F) all help to a great extent the development of dental protection against malign effect (TÓTH 1981). It is to be remarked here that the role of genetically fixed factors is diminutively small when compared to that of the variable environmental factors within all the numerous factors leading to caries. In other words, environmental factors play a decisive part in cariogenesis (ADLER 1967). As food stuffs are consumed in the form of concrete dishes, here we must deal with the food production, i. e. the agriculture of a given period. We may leave sugar intake out of consideration as it appeared only from the 15th century. There was only a limited carbohydrate diet in the form of honey for the Arpadian period population. Because of its vitamin B, enzyme and mineral salt contents it has a much higher physiological value (KETTLER 1985). A great amount of animal bones came to light in the excavated settlements. The majority is kitchen garbage, the remains of all sorts of domestic animals, cattle, pig, sheep, poultry, goat, etc. could be found, but the percentage of these varied according to the local traditions and natural circumstances of animal-keeping (BÖKÖNYT 1974, MATOLCSI 1982). Animal proteins were supplied predominantly by domestic animals. As one eight of the territory of Hungary was more or less permanently covered by water in this period (SOMOGYI 1982), fishes also found a prominent part in the diet of that age. Previously this fact was chiefly supported only by archive sourves, but recently a growing flow of fish bone findings from several locations is also available (TAKÁCS, I. pers. comm.). Though at present there is only a limited amount of arcaeobotanical findings (HARTYÁNYI, NOVÁKI & PATAY 1968), a sketch of medieval vegetable diet, combined with the results of historical research, is possible. We may state in general that a mixed alimentation was characteristic in this period. Tillage kept on gathering significance beside animal breeding

—which kept its importance though its components' role also changed

—as settling down and (tillage with it) became more and more widespread. As far as diet was concerned, it meant a constant increase of the consumption of vegetable food and a relative decrease of the intake of full value (animal) proteins. The rate of elements within the mix was determined on one hand by the natural